"Good afternoon. What are you concocting?" said Klein with a smile.
"A few from the documents Old Neil gave me." Selina busily looked for a herb at the shelves.
While watching her, Klein took a chair and sat. He remarked, "It seems you've finally gained confidence on making medicines?"
Selina smiled and nodded, "Mhm."
At that moment, she raised a glass containing a liquid scooped out of a cauldron.
Klein thought for a second before blurting out, "How will you-"
Just before he could finished his sentence. He saw the beautiful lady drank the purple liquid, oozing bubbles and scent.
"Test. Them..."
Klein's eyes widened.
"What were you saying?" Selina turned to him after finishing the glass.
"..." Klein was slightly befuddled until suddenly he recalled that this woman was a beyonder. Different from a normal human.
Out of curiosity, he asked, "What was in that medicine?"
Selina fell silent for nearly ten seconds before listing with a smile, "A saliva of a Dreadmaw, a head of a sprouting rosemary, a pair of eyes from bats, a lizard's tail and a few plants Mr. Old Neil had brought in as per my request."
And you drank all of that abomination? Klein almost had a weird face while listening.
"A-At least it smells fragrant. What's it taste?"
Selina pursed her lips and said, "It tastes like mint. Most likely because I made it that way."
Then she added with a smile, "I wouldn't want the Nighthawks who are about to drink it lose faith at the last minute."
"What is it called?" Klein followed up with another question.
"It's called Mother's Embrace by the church of the Earth Mother. It had an effect of restoring one's spirituality to a certain degree", Selina answered with honesty as she shifted to another cauldron.
Her hand that was holding a glass scraped yet another mysterious goo from a boiling cauldron.
"What is that one next?" asked Klein.
Selina lifted the glass emitting a strong salty scent that would instantly stimulates one's restlessness.
Klein fidgeted as if he couldn't stay in one place. He watched how the lady's ruddy lips touched the translucent glass cup.
Selina tilted her head back and downed the blue liquid.
A few seconds later, she sighed and turned toward Klein, saying, "It's a Sedative Agent. It makes you stay awake during its effect. Very effective when used in mediumships."
Stay awake? Klein gradually calmed down and asked, "Will it help in fighting the area inducement of Slumber Charms?"
Selina placed the vial aside. In return she inquired her gaps, "Slumber Charm? The one Mr. Old Neil taught to us?"
Klein nodded in affirmation and adjusted his cane from his other hand.
"Well." Selina's voice was lowered first before she explains, "In theory, Sedatives should be able to prevent you from being pulled into a dream. Though you would have to intake it before activating the charm."
The effect gave Klein a reasonable method of concealing his odd ability to stay lucid in a dream. Within his heart, he appreciated the production of said medicine.
Knowing the time this lady spent in isolation. Klein figured that she had already made a few vials, ready for use.
He tilted his body and strained for a peek across Selina's figure. At the table, there was a alchemy set featuring vials, tubes, pestle and mortar. A few leaves and herbs were littered.
Right next to it, a batch of small bottles rest in a wooden tray. Notes were pasted over it, perhaps the names Selina had written for recognition.
"Why don't you rest for a bit?" Klein suggested after seeing the tray.
"You seem pretty tired. About half an hour from now, we'll have to return to Gawain for our combat practice."
Selina downed yet another medicine. However, this time, it was a pill.
She carved it from an easily dissolving leaves of a hemp, which she processed by using "tame." Commanding it to break down its own properties to a miniscule level in order for it to deliver its contents safely into the stomach.
After drinking a water, her body grew paler, transparent even. Up to a point where her veins protrude from her skin.
Klein immediately furrowed his brows.
This phenomenon was brief and in the next second. Selina's body restored its luster, as if her vitality regained itself.
She quickly recovered from a slight haziness and disorientation and in seconds she drew a silent breath.
"Is that a pill?" Klein saw the small oblong object that entered his colleague's mouth.
Selina nodded and answered with her thoughts. "It was one of the revolutionary inventions Emperor Roselle made."
"..." Klein fell silent for three seconds before saying, "Emperor Roselle was truly a prodigy of his era."
Selina failed to reply quickly. She smiled and remarked, "His works is considered his original and of his own thought process."
While speaking, she added in her heart. Thought process of a skilled plagiarist...
Klein on the other hand recalled a few things that in turn his words choked him. A corner of his mouth twitched while saying "Yeah, of his own thought process..."
"Sigh... Alright, I'll rest for a bit." Selina gave in.
She placed her glass cup aside and began tidying the table.
Klein noticed her movements slightly controlled when her hand was near the tray of medicines.
He propped himself from the chair and offered, "I'll help you with the vials."
"Oh, thank you." Selina hastily replied.
"Where should I place it?" Klein asked after reaching the tray, right next to Selina.
Selina gazed around and found an empty spot by the shelves. She said, "You can just place them there. You know some medicines requires a specific environment to be stored.
"However, since Old Neil was away just this noon. I figured I should only concoct the ones that can be stored at a room temperature."
"Did you make a few of them that requires specific environment before?" Klein saw how Selina pointed out such detail that it made him ask.
Selina smiled wearily, "I drank them so it wouldn't be a waste."
...Apothecaries are fond of making themselves as test subjects... Klein retracted his eyes away and focused on the task at hand.
...
After giving the room a spotless clean-up. Selina took her coat from the wooden rack and said to Klein.
"Mr. Moretti. I forgot to ask, how was the investigation about my dream and the gold coin?"
Klein donned his top hat and kept his cane close. He turned to her and replied, "We have leads regarding your dream. About the gold coin... I failed to divine anything."
In truth, he had already divined the gold coin. The revelation was directed toward North Borough, specifically the Birchwhite Street.
It depicts the man who was likely the accomplice they're after. Who locked himself indoors.
Klein planned on visiting the district and find the man's whereabouts on his own before reporting it to Dunn as this may have correlation to the fate Selina was being subjected in.
"Perhaps right now, Old Neil is trying different methods of divinations to track it. Which was why Captain called him. Let's hope he find any leads regarding Ruther Huddsman's accomplice."
Ruther Huddsman's accomplice is also an accomplice of the Child of God's faction... No, the faction already received betrayal. I'll have to inquire the young priest of this... Selina listened attentively.
Only when Klein was done did she asked, "About my dream. Can I know about what you've discovered?"
A Seer have more knowledge of divinations and symbolisms than an Apothecary. Regardless of her discovery, Selina still opted to obtain insight from the experts of revelations such as Klein.
Klein deliberated his words and explained, "The dream's setting is in a basement. There was three people which are likely the Heath family. A ball curled with cloths was underneath them as they hanged by chained hooks.
"Captain and I managed to decrypt a few key details. Most prominent of them was the layout, seeing how the pipes had similar placement with the properties from a selective few housing companies. I believe the dream points to a residence."
Selina's nerves tensed. A fear strangled her to ask, "A beyonder?"
Klein nodded.
Seeing how the lady fell into an anxious silence. He subtly consoled her by saying, "However, rest assured that Captain already have a lead on the suspect."
"Alright." Selina simply replied, seemingly cautious.
She strode pass him by the door, turned her body and said, "Could you accompany me to my residence then? I need to retrieve my training attire before we head to Mr. Gawain's."
Klein shook his head gently before replying, "That is how a gentleman should behave while in the presence of a lady. I will accompany you."
Selina's lips were slightly parted after hearing Klein. Moments later, her mouth curled into a smile.
"Thank you."
...
16 Daffodil Street.
Selina alighted from the carriage, assisted by Klein.
"Alright. Could you wait here for a few seconds?" said Selina after adjusting a crease of her coat.
Klein smiled, "That won't be a problem."
He watched as the lady expressed her appreciation before she hurriedly walked toward the door.
At a glance. The surrounding residences were pleasant. While a few pedestrians passed him, wearing either formal clothes or elaborate dresses, the occasional tracks of carriages paints the area in busty atmosphere.
Just a few turns from here would lead him to his own residence. Where his brother Benson and sister Melissa now currently lives.
Klein felt unease by the thought and quickly, he activated his Spirit Vision.
Almost instantly, he saw the chaotic blend of colors encompassed the whole area. Through this sight, he began inspecting one building to another.
One terrace house that was next from Selina's was accommodating four radiating individuals. Two of which were adults while one was a toddler and the other being held.
Right in the heels of it. Klein saw that there was only one person in the house, directly after the first residence. It was also right next to Selina's house.
Due to being at a distance, he found it difficult to tell what exactly the individual was doing. Not only that, varied colors also hindered his perception.
Finding that it would be futile to scrutinized the person's spirit. Klein sighed and deactivated his Spirit Vision.
"Oh! Hello there." a middle-aged voice suddenly spoke from the corner.
Klein snapped out of stupor and turned toward the lady.
She had a long, brown hair. Wearing a beige coat over her outdoor dress. She stepped out of the door holding an infant by her arms.
"Are you waiting for someone?" The lady added.
"I..." Klein quickly recognized who the lady was.
Featured as a dying lady with lifeless eyes hanging by a metallic hook. She was the lady of the Heath Family!
"Oh! Where are my manners? My name is Martha Heath. I live here with my husband and my kids." Martha rushed in an introduction.
Then, she added with consideration, "You seem to be waiting for someone. The residence right before you is Ms. Roy's... Wait, are you-"
"Alright I've packed my attires shall we go?" A voice cut in just before Martha could finish her sentence.
Selina, in her working coat, held a shoulder bag by her left arm wrapping to her right waist.
Klein fell silent and turned toward Martha first to say, "I am Klein Moretti. Ms. Roy's colleague at Blackthorn Security Company, pleasure to meet you Mrs. Heath."
Selina dazed hearing him addressing a woman. Slowly, she turned and saw Martha, smiling at her.
"Well, dear Mr. Moretti. Take good care of Ms. Roy alright? She had experienced a lost of loved ones once so you better stay by her side."
Klein was taken aback. He turned to see Ms. Roy shaking almost unnoticeably.
This seems to be the first time I saw her like this... Wait. Did she said stay by her side? He quickly shifted his gaze toward Martha in surprise.
"Mrs. Heath, thank you for your concern. Uhm, we'll be leaving now." Selina fought the embarrassment and smiled.
"Alright. Take care!" Martha bade farewell with a wave.
Selina waved back while gently pushing Klein to a carriage station.